Non-Food Ideas for Rewarding Yourself

What's Your Advice For Reward Ideas?

User 183days asked a question recently in the Dieters Support Group that I know you guys will have some great suggestions for. Here is the question:

"I'm trying to think of non-food ways to reward myself. In the past I'd get some chocolate, or ice cream, or some other sweet treat. Besides kinda defeating the point, it's not the healthiest attitude to view food as a reward, I think."

So help a fellow user out — what are your ideas for cheap, easy, non-food rewards? Share all your ideas in the comments section below.

I love the iTunes idea -- new music goes a long way to motivating -- & it's great for people on a budget. Also, the self-pampering is great, but if your nails don't need anymore polishing, raid your pantry & fridge. For the cost of that cheap, unhealthy snack, you can make yourself indulgent facial treatments, like the ones on completeskincaretherapy.com. That way, when you hit goals, you're also beaming & gleaming, 'cause you put the rich foods on your face, instead of in it!

I love the idea of buying a new song from iTunes to work into your playlist. Another inexpensive idea is picking out a new nail polish color and giving yourself a manicure as a treat. You could even give yourself a spa afternoon by doing a deep conditioning treatment and facial mask.

Awesome ideas everyone! It's so important to recognize yourself for all that hard work.
I think it's great to reward yourself with items that make healthy cooking easier like a great cook book, a Misto (an olive oil sprayer) or a nice non-stick skillet.
I've also always been a fan of buying yourself flowers. There's nothing I love more than a colorful boquet of fresh flowers to look at!
-Lauren

Awesome ideas everyone! It's so important to recognize yourself for all that hard work. I think it's great to reward yourself with items that make healthy cooking easier like a great cook book, a Misto (an olive oil sprayer) or a nice non-stick skillet. I've also always been a fan of buying yourself flowers. There's nothing I love more than a colorful boquet of fresh flowers to look at!-Lauren

Thanks so much Fitsugar for posting this! You guys have great ideas. I'm a poor college student too so I can't constantly be buying things, which is why I think I initially gravitated towards the cheap food (clearly not the only reason).
I LOVE Worldtrekker's and rubiesymusica's ideas! I always want new music to work out to and the money jar idea is perfect to both save up for a great reward (like a massage) and reinforce that I'm not only harming my health by eating bad snacks all the time, but its harming my already skinny wallet too.
Thanks again so much!

Thanks so much Fitsugar for posting this! You guys have great ideas. I'm a poor college student too so I can't constantly be buying things, which is why I think I initially gravitated towards the cheap food (clearly not the only reason).I LOVE Worldtrekker's and rubiesymusica's ideas! I always want new music to work out to and the money jar idea is perfect to both save up for a great reward (like a massage) and reinforce that I'm not only harming my health by eating bad snacks all the time, but its harming my already skinny wallet too.Thanks again so much!

Magazines or a new DVD!And some food rewards, are, I think, OK. My reward this week is going to be sushi...it's certainly healthier than ice cream but I don't have it very often so I am looking forward to it. :)

Magazines or a new DVD!
And some food rewards, are, I think, OK. My reward this week is going to be sushi...it's certainly healthier than ice cream but I don't have it very often so I am looking forward to it. :)

Worldtrekker... the money jar idea is the best I've heard in a long time!
It's so simple, but it seems effective.
(I have a convenience store in my building and it's far too easy to run down for a chocolate bar or other junk)

Worldtrekker... the money jar idea is the best I've heard in a long time! It's so simple, but it seems effective.(I have a convenience store in my building and it's far too easy to run down for a chocolate bar or other junk)

now to motivate myself on the treadmill i buy a song from itunes.
when i have a cd's worth of song's i up the reward from daily to weekly: a dvd rental, a makeup item.
i know the biggest thing would be a piece of clothing (especially motivational to have proof your diet or exercise plan is working!)or handbag.
but i like the ideas of a gift account and the stickers!!! very cool.